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Published: September 25, 2021 / Updated: September 25, 2021

Baked Apple Cinnamon Donuts

Name: Baked Apple Cinnamon Donuts
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: cooking spray; 1-½ cups granulated sugar; 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 3 cups all-purpose flour (divided); 2 teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon ground allspice; 1 cup packed brown sugar; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; ½ cup applesauce; ¼ cup nonfat milk; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

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Baked apple cinnamon donuts are easy to make at home, and your house will smell amazing as they bake! Perfect fall breakfast or treat.

This post was originally published on September 28, 2012. It was updated with new photos, updated (and totally upgraded!) recipe, and additional helpful cooking instructions to help you make the best homemade donuts ever!

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Donuts are all delicious, but there's something extra special about donuts that are full of aromatic fall spices.

We've been making homemade donuts for years, and this is a recipe that I've had since 2012. It was definitely time for an upgrade!

This updated recipe is baked instead of fried. And honestly? I LOVE baked donuts. They're so fluffy and I definitely don't miss all the calories and fat missing compared to fried donuts.

What Makes These Donuts So Delicious?

stack of apple cinnamon donuts on orange pan

This donut recipe is packed with some of the season's most delicious spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, all spice... and then some applesauce to help celebrate the season's star fruit. Your house will smell AMAZING while these are baking!

I've included some of the spices in the batter. Then the donuts are finished with a warm hug of a sugar spice mix.

These donuts are perfect with your morning coffee!

Kitchen Tools and Equipment

three apple cinnamon donuts in a box with cup of coffee

To make these delicious donuts at home, you just need:

Stand mixer with paddle attachment OR a hand mixer and mixing bowls
2 donut pans - these are the donut pans I've had for several years and they come in a pack of two!

Donut Ingredients

First: please don't be intimidated by the ingredient list. Many of the ingredients are used in both the batter and the sugar spice mix. You will essentially be creating three separate bowls of ingredients, but mixing two of them together for the batter.

Ingredients for outer coating

ingredients for apple cinnamon donuts coating

For the cinnamon sugar coating, you'll need:

granulated sugar
cinnamon
cloves
nutmeg
salt

Wet Ingredients for Donut Batter

ingredients for wet mix of apple cinnamon donut

For the wet ingredients for the batter, you'll need:

large eggs
brown sugar
melted butter
milk
applesauce
vanilla (not pictured)

Dry Ingredients for Donut Batter

ingredients for apple cinnamon donut flour mix

Finally, for the dry ingredients of the donut batter, you'll need:

all-purpose flour
baking soda
baking powder
salt
all-spice
cinnamon
nutmeg

Once you've measured and gathered your ingredients, it's time to make the donuts!

How to Make Apple Cinnamon Donuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two donut pans with cooking spray. Set aside.

dry mix for coating of apple cinnamon donuts

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced sugar coating. Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients for the batter.

Then in a stand mixer, or a separate large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the brown sugar, eggs, applesauce, milk, and melted butter.

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together until combined.

scooping apple cinnamon donut batter into donut pan

apple cinnamon donut batter in donut pans

Using a spoon or a cookie/ice cream scoop, spoon enough batter into each donut space. Fill with a little bit of room at the top, because these will rise.

Bake at 350°F for 15 to 17 minutes, just until the tops of the donuts are golden brown.

When the donuts have a few minutes left in the bake time, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Set aside next to the bowl of cinnamon sugar spice mix.

When the apple cinnamon donuts are done baking, remove them from the oven. Brush each donut with melted butter then immediately dip into the cinnamon sugar spice coating mix. Place on a cooling rack while you continue to butter and coat the remaining donuts.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use the same batter to make fried donuts?

This recipe is developed specifically for baked donuts. If you want fried donuts instead of baked donuts, you'll need to alter the recipe by adding an extra cup of flour.

Can you make donuts without a donut mold?

Yes! It's a little trickier but it can be done if you have a regular muffin pan an aluminum foil. Here's an easy tutorial to follow to make your own donut molds in a muffin pan.

Are baked donuts healthier than fried donuts?

Yes! According to Dunkin Donuts, one of their fried glazed donuts are around 260 calories each. Comparatively, one baked donut has around 160 calories each. The main difference is baked donuts don't require a large amount of oil and fat

bite taken out of a apple cinnamon donut

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